To the Madrosa Kingdom (1)

Russell quenched his thirst with some tea before asking,

"How do you plan to compose the expedition force, my lord?"

"I'll take everyone who's been traveling with me, for starters."

"That would be Krout, Laila, and Edirn, then. Oh, and that young lady...?"

"Who? Yurin?"

"Yes. The winter desert is quite harsh. It won't be easy for a girl her age to endure."

"No helping it. This is our first trade run, after all. She's the one who'll be leading these deals going forward, so she needs to get familiar with the key players and gain some hands-on experience."

"We'll need to prepare thoroughly."

"I'm planning a force of about five hundred, including three hundred elite combat troops. Bandits prowl those parts pretty regularly, after all."

"Logistics won't be simple."

"We'll rely on subspatial storage as much as possible again. Get things ready on that front for now."

"I'll also prepare disguises as a desert caravan."

"Heh, ever reliable."

While Russell methodically prepared for the expedition, Calix continued his training.

These days, he sparred more with Krout or Laila than swinging his sword alone.

But Laila's skills were anything ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠but ordinary.

It felt like she'd leaped far ahead in just a few days.

'Class 5 already? She leveled up too easily, didn't she? No, her max level hit this yesterday? Could it be... because she settled her grudge? Tabar was the perfect tonic.'

"Getting distracted mid-spar? Do I seem that easy to you?"

Laila's cold voice cut through as her shortsword darted in.

"Ugh!"

Clang!

Calix hastily raised his sword to parry the strike.

She'd recently switched her main weapon from daggers to shortswords, expanding her attack range.

Yet she retained her signature fluid body techniques, keeping her edge in ultra-close quarters.

Her favorable engagement distance had grown.

It was enough to overwhelm Calix's refined noble swordsmanship.

Ting!

In the end, Calix lost his grip and dropped his sword, defeated.

"Nngh, my record's been tanking lately."

Krout handed him a towel and patted his back consolingly as he grumbled.

"Her combat experience rivals mine from the start. She can't fully abandon her assassin's style, but she's largely overcome her disadvantage against orthodox swordplay. No need for you to feel ashamed of the losses, young master."

"Not ashamed. She's got a good ten years on me, after all."

Calix missed the vein bulging faintly on Laila's forehead.

By day, he focused on training; by night, estate affairs piled up.

Russell still handled most decisions, but Calix needed at least a rough grasp of the territory's state.

That meant poring over and analyzing the dozens of documents that flooded in daily.

"I picked out just a few simple ones for your first day."

Thud! Russell dropped the stack of papers.

"A few simple ones?"

"This is... about a tenth of the daily workload."

"Russell..."

"Yes, my lord?"

"Live long and prosper."

"Even if I live long enough to paint the walls with shit, I'll hand over the countship in three years. Better get used to it."

Calix opened the first document.

It was a petition to repair a broken bridge.

"Hmm, Kirne Village and Minet Village..."

Out of habit, Calix accessed territory management mode via his status window.

A stream of concise info on the estate's conditions scrolled up.

"Traffic volume between them is lower than I thought. Rebuilding the stone bridge would cost a fortune, so let's switch to a wooden one this time. We'll cover half the expense; the villages split the rest 60-40."

"The people won't like extra taxes. We've always footed the bill from the castle budget. Is there really a need to change?"

"Then it'd keep collapsing without a care. If tax ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠resistance flares up, frame it as a reserve fund for bridge repairs. Folks will be out for blood hunting whoever sabotaged it."

"You think someone did it on purpose?"

"A sturdy stone bridge doesn't just crumble. No typhoon hit this summer."

"Got any suspects?"

"Probably someone who profits when it's down. That's all I know for now—until we investigate further."

"Well..."

"What?"

"Didn't expect such competence. If you were my direct administrator, I'd promote you on the spot."

"R-Really? I just handled it like usual..."

"Like usual? This is your first time with estate matters, isn't it?"

"Ah... I mean, I treated it like any other task. Haha..."

Calix let out an awkward laugh and averted his eyes.

But Russell didn't care about the words themselves.

"Perfect timing. I was short-handed anyway. Help me out until the expedition's ready."

"Gah!"

Calix's misfortune soon spread to others.

"Hey, if you're less efficient than the lord who just had his coming-of-age, what then? You call this a report? Redo it!"

Flutter!

Expensive paper scattered like snow.

The administrator slunk away, shoulders slumped, gathering the fallen reports.

Calix pitied him, but also figured it was self-inflicted.

Administrators in rural fringes like Szczecin County were mostly hereditary positions.

Apprenticed under their fathers before inheriting the post.

No real competition, no regard for aptitude—just handed down like a family trade. Standards suffered.

The capital's academies produced systematically trained talent, but they were few and rarely came to backwaters like this.

'This is why balanced national development matters? A few sharp commoners come to mind, but they're not ready to use yet. Need at least three years of training... by then... hmm.'

He'd need to cultivate smart, loyal civil officials—for his own sake later.

"Russell."

"Yes, my lord."

"Most of our estate managers are hereditary, right?"

"Yes."

"What if we open applications regardless of status, train them, and appoint the best? Quality would skyrocket. Thoughts?"

"Sigh, it's not a new idea. But even a hint of it would cause uproar among the lower ranks. That post is their whole life."

"Mm..."

Not easy.

For the greater good or not, upending lives bred resistance.

They had families to feed.

But he couldn't delay forever.

The great war in a few years wouldn't end as just a big conflict.

It would blur lines between commoners and nobles, prioritizing ability over bloodlines—a pivotal shift.

"Hmm... Here's the plan. When the trade route to Madrosa Kingdom reopens, we'll need to ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠overhaul the roads anyway. Start early."

"If trade resumption fails, we'll waste a fortune."

"Don't worry. I'll make it happen."

"Understood. But..."

"Something to say?"

"Even if we reopen trade with Madrosa Kingdom, we won't monopolize it. Big merchant houses will reap the lion's share. Sure, we can collect tolls, but recovering road costs would take over a decade."

"Heh, no tolls."

"Pardon? Then we're just doing favors for others."

"Tolls would shrink trade volume."

"True, but..."

"Instead, we'll develop villages along the roads, spaced a day's travel apart for merchants."

"Will... that turn a profit?"

"From our territory to the Elin River tributary, no alternatives. Everyone must pass through us."

Russell didn't fully grasp Calix's vision.

But he figured it'd recoup toll-equivalent revenue, at least vaguely.

"Very well. I'll draft and execute the construction plans as you said."

"You'll need lots of manpower. Overload the administrators, then recruit sharp, quick-witted commoners as aides. Weekly training sessions too."

"Increasing the workload, eh?"

"After a few sleepless nights, they'll be clinging to your pant leg begging for help. Heh heh."

Russell shivered at Calix's devious scheme.

He rubbed his arms, thinking,

'As long as it's not me.'

The largest public works ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠project in Szczecin family history began.

Financially, no major hurdles.

Costs weren't all upfront, and the truce with Servio Viscount let them tap silver reserves fully.

Massive funds flowed into the once-quiet territory, drawing people and materials.

Neighboring nobles just mocked Calix.

"Spending like that? He'll go bankrupt. What does a kid know? Hah!"

"Let's skim some of that blind money this time."

They gladly sent artisans at Szczecin's request.

Sitting idle, they pocketed 30% of the wages paid.

And amid it all, Calix quietly departed for Madrosa Kingdom with his five-hundred-strong expedition.